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Review:
May 2007
Jim Santella -
Southland Blues Magazine Porterhouse Bob Johnson and his band, Down to the Bone, love to bring back the roots music that originally came from New Orleans and the Deep South. Cajun, boogie-woogie, zydeco, barrelhouse and jump blues ensure that his program will get it all in. The band has quite a unique sound to back up Bob's down-home vocals. He's one of a kind, underrated and adventuresome. At the piano, he pounds out a rollicking beat that mingles with trumpets, trombone, saxophone, tuba, bass and drums in order to celebrate the attitude that invented Dixieland jazz and Louisiana swamp blues. On their instrumental numbers, Down to the Bone recalls the dedicated musicianship and rockin' spirit that came out of bands such as Chicago and Blood, Sweat and Tears. At the piano, Bob brings us the kind of authenticity that flows from pioneers such as Piano Red, Pinetop Perkins and Professor Longhair. When he sings, Bob gets to the nitty-gritty with all his heart. The session is a party that can go on forever; however, the album clocks in at less than 35 minutes, leaving the audience clamoring for more. Original songs such as Bob's "Whodoo Voodoo," Doin' the Fat Thing" and "Tippin' on Fo Fo's" get down and feisty, while "Who Called the Cops?" and several other jump blues allow Bob and the band to swing with passion. Tight horns and a loose rhythmic pride make this one a clear winner.
Review:
May 2007
Blewzzman Lauro -
Mary4Music.com 
PORTERHOUSE BOB & DOWN TO THE BONE
"WHO CALLED THE COPS?"
BIG MOJO RECORDS
BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO
© MAY 2007
Blues Editor @
www.Mary4Music.com
Although I can sometimes tell after just one listen that
I like a CD enough to be able to give it a nice review, most
of the times I prefer to listen to it several times before
making a qualified decision. On the other hand, with "WHO
CALLED THE COPS", after just a few tracks I was ready
to start writing - but first, I needed to stop writhing. In
just three little words I can tell you what my first
impression of this disc was......fun, fun, fun. It's very
apparent the band had fun recording it and I can assure you,
you'll have fun listening to it.
In as much as I take pride in my originality when
writing these reviews, I'll occasionally see a quote in a
bands press kit, or at their website, that compels me to use
that quote. This description of their style of music
was one of those compellers........"A blend of Bourbon
Street brass, rolling piano blues and a classic New Orleans
beat; this high octane barrelhouse band pumps out psycho
boogie, funk and zydeco-blues as if there is no tomorrow".
Touche` - the Blewzzman tips his hat to the writer of those
words.
This feisty bunch of players are: PORTERHOUSE BOB,
writer of the discs nine original tracks, on vocals and
keyboards; MITCH MONTROSE, drums and rubboard; MIKE BARRY,
bass; GEORGE PANDIS, trumpet; SCOTTY STRATHMANN, trumpet,
trombone and tuba; DAN HEFFERNAN, clarinet, tenor and alto
sax; DON ROBERTS, baritone sax; LONNIE JOHNSON, trumpet.
If within 30 seconds of the opening track, "DID YOU
CATCH THAT JACK?", you're not shaking or tapping one or
more of your body parts - at a feverish pace - you may need
to call your doctor. Man, this track rocks. It's a fast
and furious Nawlin's swing thing with lots of funky horns
that has MITCH and MIKE tearing up the pace on drums and
bass.
If you're a mover and a shaker, head to the dance flo' for "TIPPIN'
ON FO FO'S". This short but scorching Zydeco
instrumental is guaranteed to break a sweat.
"DOWN BY THE WATER" opens with an awesome 90
second trumpet solo before getting downright funky. BOB is
outstanding on piano and some Dr. John type vocals and the
horn section, led by more great trumpet work and SCOTTY on
the tuba, create a great ragtime sound.
There's no other way to describe the next track other
than to just tell you it's name - "BIG BOB'S BOOGIE".
Backed up with some great bass work, this instrumental is
all about BOB and his piano..........
that is until DAN jumps in with some downright kick ass
tenor sax.
"WHODOO VOODOO" is all of 63 seconds but what
a furious 63 seconds it is. It's a ritual sounding
instrumental with a fierce drum beat and wailing trumpets.
This one brought to mind about a half a dozen jungle movies.
The title track, "WHO CALLED THE COPS", is all
out musical mayhem. BOB is as wild on the vocals as he is
on the piano, Mitch and Mike are trying to kick each others
butt on rhythm - and they're both succeeding - and the horn
section, in an effort to not be outdone, are blowing their
brains out. At two and a half minutes, this track is about
five minutes too short. I wanted more - lots more - of
this. Easily the hottest track on the disc.
Just like the steak, PORTER HOUSE BOB and the band are
excellent, right DOWN TO THE BONE.
Review:
April 2007
Shadoe Stevens - Rock the World I received your CD. It’s outstanding. It has great, energy, and the arrangements and variety are wonderful. And I must commend you on the production values…the recording, the mix, everything is exceptional. It’s really first class and a lot of fun. I would enthusiastically recommend it to people. It’s got style and wit and pizzazz. It’s got that Dr. John feel that I love and crosses all the way over into Zydeco and Squirrel Nut Zipper territory. Congratulations. I’m sure it was a lot of work but it really paid off!! www.pulverradio.com. www.shadoe.com Review: May 2007 Rootstime - Belgium
Zoals ik voorheen al eens
gezegd heb, ben ik een liefhebber van het New Orleans genre. Ik
was dan ook aangenaam verrast toen ik de cd van Porterhouse Bob
"Who Called The Cops" in handen kreeg. Ik kende de man helemaal
niet, maar een kerel die er op de hoes bijstaat als Screamin'
Jay Hawkins heeft al direct mijn aandacht en sympathie. Terecht,
zo blijkt, want al komt de band uit California, Los Angeles om
precies te zijn, toch brengt Bob ons in onvervalste Professor
Longhair stijl de echte New Orleans sound. Zijn 7 koppige band
"Down to The Bone" waarbij geen gitarist zit, enkel een drummer,
bas en een blazersectie van 5 man zorgen voor een prima geluid
waarbij de gitaar voor geen seconde gemist wordt. Zijn rock &
roll gumbo moet het vooral van de sfeer hebben. Bob is geen
perfect zanger, maar zijn stem is ideaal voor dit soort muziek,
hij klinkt zo authentiek als maar enigzins mogelijk is. Als
pianist is hij wel een topkracht, luister maar naar "Big Bob's
Boogie" of de dampende boogie die de titelsong "Who Called the
Cops" is, in feite een variatie op het "Rocket 88" thema. Verder
is de gumbo gekruid met zydeco, cajun en zelfs funk elementen.
Accordeons rocken op "Slammin' the Ham" en "I ain't Got You".
Mooie dansende funkritmes horen we op de instrumental "Doin' The
Fat Thing", een verwijzing naar de Fatback Band. Een lekker
ouderwets Cab Calloway soundje op "Whoodoo Voodo" dat lijkt op
"Minnie The Moocher", en zo kunnen we blijven verdergaan. Om het
even kort samen te vatten "Who Called The Cops" is van A tot Z
ambiance! Laisser Les Bon Temps Rouler...
Review:
March 2007 PBS FM
Radio Australia "Yeah you have done
it again with a gumbo laden feast of Southern Blues mixed into a Voodoo stew
with just the right amount of spice to add to the flavor. Yes we love it (Who
Called The Cops) soooooooooooooo very much and l have allocated the cd to the
biggest Blues show in this city "Jumping The Blues" with Tom Sianidis Wednesday
1 to 3pm. ... all l want is for every body to hear what we were able to hear ,
great music. Perfect for PBS FM." Review:
March 2007 KUCI
Buffalo Bayou Show
California This week on the Buffalo Bayou show (Wednesday, March 28th): Jake Bacon. KUCI California
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